Automatic playing attachment for musical instruments.



No. 825,784. PATENTED JULY 10, 1906. P. WELIN. AUTOMATIC PLAYING ATTACHMENT FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED JULYZO. 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PETER WELIN, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO ALBERT KRELL, OF NEW'OASTLE, INDIANA.

AUTOMATIC PLAYING ATTACHMENT FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 10, 1906.

Application filed July 20, 1904. Serial No. 217,347.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER WELIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Worcester, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Automatic Playing Attachment for Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of automatic playing attachments which are housed within the casing of the pianos to which they are applied.

The especial object of this invention is to combine the levers which control the automatic playing with the piano-casing in a strong, compact, and convenient arrangement which will permit saidparts to be entirely inclosed when the piano is to be played manually and while at the sametime said parts will occupy comparatively little room within the casing itself.

To these ends this invention consists of the piano-casing and of the combinations of parts therein, as hereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the accompanying two sheets .of drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional view of sufficient parts of apiano-casing to illustrate the appli: cation of my invention thereto; and Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the controlling-levers,

showing the fall-board swung down into position to permit access to the e vers.

In e uipping a piano-case with controllinglevers or the automatic playing I arrange them above the ledge of the keyboard, and the ends of the controlling-levers extend out into a recess which is normally closed by a small fall-board or swin g cover and which fall-board when opene forms a ledge for guiding the hands of the -user in the lateral movement of the lovers. The piano-casing,

I v as usual, has a keyboard ledge or'board L.

The controlling-levers are preferably arranged underneath the piano-keys and are ordinarily concealed from view so that there will be no-indication on the exterior of .the' piano that the piano is provided with auto matic laying attachments.

. As s own in F-g. 1, the keys are located above the ledge or board L. Below the keys K are the contro -levers C, which extend forward, so that their frontends are located in a hollow key slip or recess of the keyboardledge.

As shown most clearly in Fig. 2, this recess has an inner stationary member S and can be opened and closed by an outer member in the form of a pivoted or rockable cover or fallboard F.

When the lower fall-board F is closed, as shown in Fig. 1," it constitutes, in effect, part of a continuous rail cooperating with the fallboard orkey-cover E, while when the small fall-board F is swung down or opened, as shown in Fig. 2, about its pivot, which is preferably lower than the ends of the levers, it forms, in efiect, a supporting-ledge for guiding the lateral movement of the hand of the operator when shifting the controlling-levers.

I am aware that changes may be made in applying my invention to piano-cases of different styles and proportions. I do not wish, therefore, to be limited to the construction I have herein shown and described; but

What I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. The combination of a piano-casing, controlling-levers for automatic playing attachments with the ends of said levers below and infront of the piano-keys, and a fall-board or swinging cover for concealing said levers mounted to swing on a pivot located lower than the ends of said levers.

2. The combination of a piano-casing, controlling-levers for automatic playing attachments, and a pivoted fall-board or rockable member which,when in normal osition, conceals the controllin -levers and ibrms part of the ledge or rail w ch cooperates with the key-cover and which when open, forms a ledge or support for the hand of the operator.

3. The combination of apiano-casing, controlling-levers for automatic playing attachments, located below the iano-keys and having their ends extending orward into a recess or opening'in the key rail or led e of the casing, and a pivoted fall-board, w 'ch when m normal position, conceals the controllin -levers, and forms part of the ledge or rail which cooperates with the key-cover, and which, when 0 en, forms a ledge or support for the hand '0 the operator. I

4. In an automatic combination-piano, a recessed or hollow key-slip composed of an inner member and an outer movable memroo her in combination with the key-bed, manual I keyboard, and expression-manipulatory devices, having their terminals beneath said key-slip.

5. In an automatic combination-piano, a

recessed or hollow key-slip comprising an 10 neath said key-slip, said rockable member being adapted to swing outwardly under said manipulatory devices,

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

PHILIP W. SOUTHGATE, LoUIs W. SOUTHGATE. 

